Improvement in the manufacture of iron



:gimme/nf; 'u1' WU@ Damfamw of 5mn/Q PATENTED AUG ""1'187'1 FRANCIS DIAYLOR. 117576 UNITED STATES T p FFICE.

FRANCIS DANIEL TAYLOR, OF BRADYS BEND TOWNSHIP, PENNSYLVANIA.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 117,576, dated August 1, 1871; antedated July 21, 1871.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS DANIEL TAYLOR, of Bradys Bend township, in the county of Armstrong and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Manufacture of Iron; and I do hereby declare the following` to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention consists in the introduction of pulverized iron ore or other metallic oxides into a blast-furnace, for the manufacture of iron from ore, together with the blast of hot or cold air through the tuyere or tuyeres above the surface of the molten metal in the hearth and below the burden, for the purpose of producing a more intimate admixture ofthe pulverized ore with the molten metal than can be otherwise obtained, and also of mixing the ore with the melted metal while it is exposed to a high heat, and thus, 4by preventing the immediate chilling of the metal, consequent on. its admixture with the ore, securing a more perfect chemical action at the time of admixture, and avoiding, to a great degree, the necessity of future treatment for the decarbonization of the pig-metal.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to use my invention, I will proceed to describe the apparatus which I employ and its mode of application.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a sectional representation of a blast-furnace with my apparatus for introducing pulverized ore attached; and Fig. 2 is a perspective representation of the belly-pipe, showing the opening to receive the pulverized ore.

My improvement is designed to be used in.4

connection with a blast-furnace of any ordinary construction, the object being to decarbonize the metal asfar as is practicable without bringing it to a solid state or losing its fluidity, at the same time and in the same furnace in which it is reduced or brought to a metallic sta-te from the ore. The blast-furnace I need not therefore more particularly describe.

In the drawing, A is the blast-furnace. b b are tuyeres, through which the blast of hot or cold air is introduced into the bosh of the furnace by means of a blast-pipe, B, of ordinary construction. At a convenient point in the upper side of the belly-pipe c I make an opening,

k, to receive the pulverized ore which is to be blown into the blast-furnace. Around this part of the belly-pipe I fit a casting, d, which forms the seat ofthe feed-pipe E, which is secured by means of bolts, or in any convenient-manner.

On the seat d I set the feed-pipe E, which extends upward to a sufficient height to give pressure enough from the column of pulverized ore to prevent the escape of the blast in that direction, or the blowing out of the ore at the top of the pipe. This pipe is furnished at top' with a hopper, c, through which the pulverized ore is supplied to the feed-pipe E. In order to regulate the supply of ore to the blast-furnace or stop it altogether, if desired, I attach to the feedpipe E, above the belly-pipe, a frame, j', furnished with a slide, g, which enters the feedpipe and forms a gate to prevent or regulate the supply of ore. To this gate g is attached an arm, 71 furnished with cog-teeth, into which works a pinion, f,'worked by a winch or crank, by turning which the gate g may be opened more or less, or entirely closed.

When it is desired to treat the iron in the blastfurnace with oxide of iron, iron ore, or other metallic oxides, it is only necessary to supply the feed-pipe with the oxide previously sutliciently pulverized, and open the gate g, when the pulverized oxide will drop down gradually into the belly-pipe and be carried immediately by the face ofthe blast through the tuyeres into the bosh of the' furnace, above the surface of the melted metal in the hearth. The ore thus comes in contact with the melted metal 'as it runs down from the burden above, and also mixes with the metal in the hearth, which causes and keeps up a fermentation of the metal, causing the continual escape of theycarbon from the metal by its union with the oxygen of the ore at high heat, while the iron in the ore is at the same time reduced to a metallic state, increasing the amount of metal in the hearth. This supply of ore must be regulated so as to produce the required degree of decarbonization of the pig-metal, and not be carried to such an extent as to cause the metal to solidify or become so thick and pasty as to lose its liquid condition. The metal thus purified and greatly decarbonized is run out into masses of nearly decarbonized iron, which, owing to the treatment thus given to it in the blast-furnace, will need but little after treatment before being fit for rolling into muck bar.

This method of treating iron in the blast-furnace has the further advantage that the same furnace, without altering its burden or charge, may be made to yield either common pi g-metal or metal more or less purified and decarbonized. If pig-metal is required, the gate g, Which admits the pulverized ore, is closed, when the furnace becomes an ordinary blast-furnace; but by simply opening the gate the yield becomes pu ried and decarbonized metal.

The peculiarity of my improvement consists chiefly in treating` pig-metal at the time of its reduction from the ore, When in. a very iiuid condition, and at a sustained high heat, With pulverized oxides combined with a blast of air, in

Vcontradistinction'from treatin gmeltedmetal with oxides in a separate vessel, and Without any Yother heat than that of the metal itself7 Which latter treatment immediately chills and solidiies the metal, and retards and obstructs the chemical action'of the oxides on the highly carbonized iron, and prevents the completion of the desired change until the mass of pig-bloom is subjected to further heat in another furnace and by separate treatment.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination, With the belly-pipe of the tuyere of a blast-furnace, of a supply-pipe opening into the belly-pipe and of such height as that the pressure of the column of oxide shall prevent the blowing out of the contents of the pipe otherwise than through the tuyere into the furnace, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I,the said FRANCIS D. TAYLOR, havei'ereuntc setmyhand.

FRANCIS DANIEL TAYLOR.

Witnesses:

J. N. STEWART, JOHN GLENN. 

